London Dungeon

The London Dungeon is an interactive attraction based around the British capital’s gruesome history. A hybrid of actor-led exhibits and rides takes visitors back through time to the 17th century to a time of filth-drenched streets, urban and social decay, and ultimately the Fire of London. As the circuit brings visitors forward in time to Victorian London, the fictional Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sweeney Todd, and the rather real reincarnation of mystery murderer Jack the Ripper are encountered before visitors are herded into their own trial and ‘execution’.

As visitors are channelled into the London Dungeon – eerily situated under the arches of London Bridge Station, Tooley Street – they find themselves in the Labyrinth of the Lost, a catacomb of mirrors where they wander aimlessly, lost in a world of their own reflections. As visitors try to find their way out the actor/guides lay in weight with a surprise for all, before leading visitors onto the next part of the Dungeon.

Visitors are then taken through a 17th century post-mortem, where they are corralled, shouted at, humiliated and squirted with various foul substances – water in every case – before being herded into a torture chamber where a foul-mouthed wench of old demonstrates the tools of her trade on one unlucky ‘volunteer’.

A judge in a rather grotesque courtroom is next, as he ‘tries’ and engages visitors in some light-hearted banter, peppered with subtle and not so subtle double entendre before sending them off to their ‘execution’ on the Boat Ride to Hell; which in fact goes to Sweeney Todd’s barbershop. Here an actress playing the fictional throat-cutter’s accomplice, Mrs Lovett, tells visitors of her and Todd’s business of killing customers and putting them into pies, before giving visitors something of a surprise herself.

Jack the Ripper’s London is next as visitors are transported to the misty Victorian streets of the East End, with tales of how one man and his knives brought terror to the ladies of the night. As visitors are told of Jack’s heinous crimes - and a long list possible culprits - they find themselves in a backstreet tavern where, it is rumoured, the evil killer sometimes make’s a shocking appearance.

Finally, guests are loaded onto Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom, where they are lifted off the floor to meet with the executioner and their own personal noose, before the hatch is opened and they are dropped to…the gift shop on the way to the exit.

Entry: Tickets start at £10.98 and vary in price depending on day and time of entry. Book online for the best deals which include substantial discounts if tickets for the London Eye and Madame Tussauds are booked at the same time.